India - next Nov - would you do it?

[bridgeandbow]

We have been invited to a good friends wedding. It is in rural Rajasthan in Nov (think flight to Jaipur then 6 hour sleeper train sort of thing...). Dss will be 4.5 and 6.5.

We want to go and wouldn't think twice if it was just us.

Reservation are:

I've never been East (lots of central America stuff for me..)
It will cost a fortune.
Want to combine it with a great holiday after the wedding - but where?
Kids will get ill.
Kids will get bored - planned post wedding events like desert 4x4 safari would be torture - DS2 would get bored after 1/2 hour...
I will spend all my time looking after kids and it will be stressful!

What would you do?

We accept it will cost a lot of money (flights alone I reckon will be nearly £3k so I want a fab holiday - otherwise we would be better off at an AI in the Caribbean (my kind of holiday with the age the kids are at tbh!!)

Would decline their invite; far too many variables to make this actually worth doing with young children in tow. Your children would be unable to take part in the safari due to their tender ages.

We would be travelling with another family - their kids are 7 & 8 so they would have playmates.....

Personally, I wouldn't do it. I have just been to Goa with my 3 and they loved it, but we didn't have much travelling to do (plane direct from Dubai).

It isn't the cleanest of places, and I would imagine a train would be a nightmare and not a pleasant experience for them.

As far as desert safaris go though, I think your kids would love it, we have done them here in Dubai with the children when they were much younger than yours and they had a great time.

If you are going to spend that much money on a holiday, make it one that you are all going to enjoy. x

Thats interesting Tubby - we were thinking of going Emirates (direct from Scotland) and so a direct flight back from Goa home would work - we were thinking about beach holiday after wedding....

What was Goa like for kids?

Yes - the journey to the wedding is giving me the heebies!

bumping for the evening world savey lot!

It's possible that the train would be one of the tourist ones and not the sort with people hanging from the windows!

Id go - i love India!!

OH was in India in November. Getting visas is a nightmare, so if you are going I would allow enough time to sort them out first. The travel agent said that there is so much red tape and the cost is high (£200 per person for 6 months) that it has put a lot of people off booking holidays there.

He also said that although he thought he was prepared for the dirt, overcrowding and poverty, he still found it hard to stomach. People use roads and railway lines as public toilets, and the driving and the traffic is very scary.

Visa's for India £60 You will need to write a letter of permission for all kids under 16, stating they are travelling with you and will be supervised on the Journey. New Visa rules apply as of April this year.
Fly to Deli 9 hours
Internal to Jaipur/Jodpur/Udaipur? 1 hour
Have travelled in Rural Rajasthan many times, with older kids (Teens)
Return flights cost aroun £600 per person.
Keep your mouth closed in shower!!!
Food mainly Indian, Rajasthan does not do Western food well.
Kids will need. Measels Jab, also good to have Typhoid.
Anti Malerials not required.
If your kids are old enough to remember and enjoy the experience...go for it, India is the most amazing country in the world!
If they are not....think twice, wait until you can all really enjoy together. Rural Raj, very very different to Goa
pm if you want more info

That for the responses. Things looking much more favourable now..

Wedding is in accessible Udaipur in a Palace. We will fly via Deli and total journey time 15 hrs so doable.

We are not doing post wedding camel ride/ desert/ tents etc.

After 4 day wedding bash we will fly to Goa/ Kerala for 10 day beach holiday (and maybe meet up again with some of wedding party later in that week)

Feeling a lot better about it all now. Just need to work out the best way of doing this - think we may be able to add our trip to Udaipur on as an "excursion" to out main beach holiday. Been on trip advisor loads and have no decisions re beach yet!

Kids not really old enough - but the opportunity is arising now and we are really keen.

Udaipur is amazing!!! my favourite place!

It must be business visas that cost more. The entire visa procedure is still a pain though, not helped by a crap website and particularly unhelpful staff at the visa office in Birmingham.

Bunbaker, Business visas cost around £90.00, (for a 3 month visa) but if you go through an agent they can charge massive fees.
If you go to an Agent called Benmar Travel in Covent Garden they charge £15.00 fees per visa. If you live too far to get there in person you can send your passport and they will do all the leg work. Other agents offer the same service, just need to get their fee details up front. The New visa system is a pain, but it has been put in place since the Mumbai bomings, as people were entering and leaving India ad hoc while all their terrorist plans were being inmplemented. Hence the Visas are now much more detailed than they have been in the past. Mind you an Indian friend coming to stay here told me that the UK visa is far worse, and far harder to obtain.

OH got his direct from the VFS Global which is the official Indian visa supplier. He didn't go through any agency. The 6 month visa was definitely over £200 from the officail visa office in Birmingham. He needed a multiple entry business visa and when he went to get his visa he was charged £213.00. I have checked on their (crap) website and it is £105. He also had to pay £75 for a same day visa plus VAT plus extra service charges. OH thinks it is an excuse to extort money out of visitors.

Well at least it's cheap when you get there, and a great experience too, I will be travelling twice there next year....can't wait. Mind you i will have to work when I am there.
Namaste :)

Do you think you would regret if you didn't go? If the answer is yes I would say go for it. I have never regretted any travelling I have done with my children.

We are planning on the assumption we are going! I think if I can get a good deal and nice beach side to the holiday that will be the deal breaker. It is whimping out a bit I know, but there is plenty time for more adventurous travel when they are not 4!

I've heard that south Goa is more westernised. Kerala, not got my head around yet - keep reading about poo in the sea....!

Are there any good travel agents I should be looking at...

My folks have been to Kerala but they did the houseboat, homestay, driver thing which is not for us.

I'm off to Kerala for a month in Jan - will PM you!

I love India but would in all honesty, hesitate taking young children. It is a huge culture shock when you step off the plane at Delhi! I have been many times and even in 'easy' travel places like Udaipur and Goa have had terrible diarrhoea/vomiting and dehydration. it is very hard to avoid getting 'delhi belly' as the food is usually unfamiliar/different oils etc. what are your children like eating different foods? Bring lots of sachets of Dioralyte and get top notch insurance as the private hospi tals are good. Second closing your mouth in the shower/bath. With children that age, I would pay for 4-5 star hotels I'm sorry to say. Check the advice really carefully re; malarial regions for the period you are staying.
November is a lovely time to travel to these regions and it is an amazing country with a very friendly and welcoming population. I will be taking ds when he's about 11.

I agree with icancancan although I've only ever been unwell once and that was when I had "Western" food on my last day of a two week trip. It's a wonderful place though. I'm waiting until my DD is about 12 until we go but I would take her now (she's 4) in your circumstances.

If you want to go, and think your kids are reasonably adaptable, I wouldn't hesitate - Rajasthan is fab! :)

We have taken dd (6) to India four times, now - DH is from India, and all his family are there, so we don't really have much choice. She has never been ill, and despite some concerns on my part each time, she has loved every moment of every trip.

I have lost count of how many times I have been myself, but I have never been ill either, apart from a common cold. If you are sensible about what you eat and drink, there is no real reason why you should get sick - happy to advise further if you want.

The climate in November will be good, so no worries on that score in Rajasthan - no idea about Goa or Kerala, though.

I suppose India is a bit of a culture shock when you go there for the first time, but it's all part of the rich tapestry of life, and I think kids take things in their stride much more easily than we might imagine. I probably wouldn't have taken dd at this age if I didn't have to, but I am so glad that she has had the experience. Each time, I wonder if she will be uncomfortable about stuff, and each time, she surprises me with how well she copes - she just takes it all in, and she has learned so much from her visits.

So, I would say go, and enjoy the adventure!